Cultural Socialization Practices and Post-Adoption Service Utilization Among Transracial Adoptive Families

Background and Purpose. Presently, adopted children represent a more culturally diverse population than the overall United States population of children, including children that identify as African-American, Hispanic, or Asian (Vandivere, et al., 2009). With a significant number of transracial adoptive families occurring in the U.S., there are unique needs and challenges that these families face including, but not limited to, cultural socialization, coping with discrimination, and developing healthy racial/ethnic identity (Vonk, 2001). The aim of the present study was (1) to examine whether there are race/ethnic group differences in cultural socialization practice and post-adoptive service utilization in a sample of transracial adoptive families; and (2) to test the effect of cultural socialization practice and post-adoptive service utilization on family relationships among transracial adoptive families.

Method. This study is a secondary data analysis of the data gathered from the National Survey of Adoptive Families (NSAP) from 2007-2008 regarding 2,089 adoptive families. NSAP was a random-digit-dial telephone survey of households with adopted children younger than 18 years. The current study examined a subsample of transracial adoptive families (N=809; 27% Hispanic, 11% Non-Hispanic White, 13% Non-Hispanic Black, 32% Non-Hispanic Asian, 17% Non-Hispanic other). The variables examined included family relationships, cultural socialization practice, post-adoption services utilization, and the race/ethnicity of the adopted children. The family relationships variable was constructed using eight self-report questions (α=.84). The cultural socialization practice variable was measured by nine self-report (α=.71) and the post-adoption services variable was assessed by seven self-report items (α=.54). One-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Sex of the child, age group of the child, race/ethnicity of child, and poverty level of the household are entered as covariates in the regression model.

Results. The results of ANOVA tests demonstrated that there was significant race/ethnic group difference in cultural socialization practices. The parents of transracial adopted children identified as “Non-Hispanic Asian” significantly participated in more cultural socialization practices than any other race and ethnic group. However, there was no significant race/ethnic group difference regarding the utilization of post-adoption services. Further, the results of regression analysis indicated that cultural socialization practices positively predicted family relationships, indicating families with higher level of cultural socialization practice are more likely to have higher level of family relationship. However, the participant’s utilization of post-adoption services significantly and negatively predicted family relationship among the participants, indicating families who utilized post-adoption services were more likely to exhibit lower level of family relationship.

 Implications. In order to address the lower participation in cultural socialization practices amongst different race/ethnic groups, adoption agencies must finds ways to explore this issue with their prospective transracial adoptive parents. In addition, the findings implied the importance of cultural socialization for family relationship quality. Thus, adoption agencies can emphasize the importance of engagement in these practices to support the adopted child, as well as the overall family relationship quality post-adoption. Finally, the findings suggest the need for more post-adoption services for transracial adoptive families with low family relationship quality in order to effectively support the family.